Television News

Blog Chatter

What are tags?

List

Stockhound101 on Bush, Fukuda lay out goals for G-8 summit in Japan
lhendr6281 on For Johnnifer, First Comes Love, Then What?
mchfoun on Employers use federal law to deny benefits
POLLYTER3 on Braille-Stamped Silver Dollar Unveiled
hyd77e on Hard Times Sink American Optimism

Feed

Top stories submitted and voted on from Propeller.

Cook's Covers of Covers Win 'Idol' Praise

AOL

Posted: 2008-03-26 15:22:41

Filed Under: American Idol, TV News

(March 26) - On Tuesday night's 'American Idol,' David Cook covered Michael Jackson's pop masterpiece 'Billie Jean' as a slow-burning, acoustic-guitar-and-string enhanced gothic anthem.

The crowd roared and the judges raved.

Randy Jackson said David Cook was possibly the "most original, most bold contestant we've ever had ... you might be the one to win the whole lot. Blazing molten hot."

Michael Jackson

Chris Cornell

David Cook

Paula Abdul was nearly in tears. "I can't sit down," she gushed. "I have to tell you how smart you are, how brave you are, how willing you are to stretch the boundries. You do it right to the edge without going over. I thnk you're brilliant.

Even the hard-to-impress Cowell said "David, that was brave. It could have either been insane or amazing and I've got to tell you, it was amazing."

Did any of the judges hear Ryan Seacrest announce that Cook was simply performing a popular cover of 'Billie Jean' by former Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell?

The Beatles

Doxology

David Cook

The Beatles

Whitesnake

David Cook

Cornell had covered 'Jean' for his second solo album back in 2006. He has been performing it live ever since. Howard Stern was such a fan that he invited Cornell on his Sirius satellite program to play it.

"I didn't plan on it," he told MTV at the time. "It just sort of happened organically. I changed the music quite a bit, I didn't touch the lyrics. And it's not a joke."

It's not the first cover of a cover that's given Cook the leg up in this year's 'Idol' competition.

In the first installment of Beatles week, Cook took on 'Eleanor Rigby,' turning one of the Lennon and McCartney's bleakest tales into an emo-fueled rocker. One day later, TMZ reported that a Seattle band named Doxology had been performing a similar cover for over a year and a half. Their cover of 'Rigby' is currently posted on their MySpace page.

For last week's second part of Beatles week, Cook admitted that he was taking on Whitesnake's cover of 'Day Tripper,' complete with a vocoder break.

American Idols Out and About

Former "American Idol" contestant Amanda Overmeyer appeares on the NBC "Today" television show in New York's Rockefeller Plaza, Tuesday March 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
AP
** FILE ** Contestant Michael Johns attends the "American Idol" annual Top 12 Party in this March 6, 2008, file photo in West Hollywood, Calif. (AP Photo/Phil McCarten, file)
AP
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - MARCH 20: American Idol hosts Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell arrive at DETAILS magazine "Mavericks 2008" issue cocktail party on March 20, 2008 at a private location in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Getty Images
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - MARCH 20: American Idol hosts Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell arrive at DETAILS magazine "Mavericks 2008" issue cocktail party on March 20, 2008 at a private location in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Getty Images
In this undated image released by FOX, "American Idol" contestant Amanda Overmyer, 23, of Mulberry, Ind., is shown. Overmyer was voted off the singing talent show, Wednesday, March 19, 2008. (AP Photo/FOX) ** NO SALES **
AP
Country Hair Beauty Shop in Delphi, Ind., has a sign of support for American Idol contestant Amanda Overmyer Tuesday, March 18, 2008. Overmyer, who grew up in nearby Camden, was voted off the show Wednesday. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)
AP
Fans of American Idol contestant Amanda Overmyer watch her perform on TV at Robert's Southfork Restaurant and Pub in Mulberry, Ind., Tuesday, March 18, 2008. Overmyer, who lives in Mulberry and often hangs out at the restaurant, was voted off the show Wednesday. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)
AP
Singer/Songwriter Sam Moore and Former American Idol Bo Bice backstage at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville Tennessee on March 19, 2008. It's all part of Sam Moore & Friends - 1st Annual benifit for The Lili Claire Foundation benefiting Meharry Medical College..Sam Moore & Friends - A benifit for The Lili Claire Foundation.Ryman Auditorium.Nashville, TN United States.March 19, 2008.Photo by Rick Diamond/WireImage.com..To license this image (15664473), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
Singer/Songwriter Sam Moore and Former American Idol Bo Bice backstage at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville Tennessee on March 19, 2008. It's all part of Sam Moore & Friends - 1st Annual benifit for The Lili Claire Foundation benefiting Meharry Medical College..Sam Moore & Friends - A benifit for The Lili Claire Foundation.Ryman Auditorium.Nashville, TN United States.March 19, 2008.Photo by Rick Diamond/WireImage.com..To license this image (15664472), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com
Singer/Songwriter Sam Moore and Former American Idol Bo Bice backstage at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville Tennessee on March 19, 2008. It's all part of Sam Moore & Friends - 1st Annual benifit for The Lili Claire Foundation benefiting Meharry Medical College..Sam Moore & Friends - A benifit for The Lili Claire Foundation.Ryman Auditorium.Nashville, TN United States.March 19, 2008.Photo by Rick Diamond/WireImage.com..To license this image (15664471), contact WireImage.com
WireImage.com

With Cook apperaring to have wrestled the frontrunner status away from early favorite David Archuleta, it remains to be seen whether he'll continue to tackle old favorites with a new rock edge, and whether that edge will be his own, or another band's.

2008-03-26 10:55:39

Read Related Blogs and Articles

Must Read?

78 %

22 %

0 VOTES

Recent Comments

Post Your Own

1 - 10 of 719

719 comments

defabm 07:55:24 AM Apr 01 2008

Report This!

THE WHOLE ENTIRE SHOW, IS PEOPLE SINGING OTHER PEOPLES SONGS.........DAVID JUST DOES IT REALLY WELL......I READ CHRIS WAS FLATTERED BUT SURPRISED.....GUESS WHAT DUDE, YOU MAY HAVE CHANGED THE ARRANGMENT BUT ITS NOT YOUR SONG EITHER. (and i was always a fan of soundgraden)

starpatchsam 05:10:52 PM Mar 31 2008

Report This!

Where are all the Kristy Lee Cook articles. She and Britney Spears were friends and she was going to sign a record deal with her company, but backed out who knows why but THAT is something worth looking into instead of this stupid stuff

Hartezy507 04:52:36 PM Mar 31 2008

Report This!

My issue with the question above it putting the 2 words "original" and "brave" together. I don't find them the same here. I think YES it's brave for singing it on American Idol, but original? NO. It's the judges calling him that, they need to lay off that word actually.

starpatchsam 04:52:34 PM Mar 31 2008

Report This!

I was watching E News and they showed a pic of Kristy Cook with Britney Spears back in 2000 Britney tried to get her going with a career... strange

Mrspoopsie708 04:22:26 PM Mar 31 2008

Report This!

Wow. With so many negative comments here, one can't helpp but wonder if they are tryout rejects.

If I could sing 1/10th as well as the top 24, I wouldn't be working in retail to supplement my day job, I'd be out there trying for a career in music. They can ALL sing, though some are better in one genre than others. I can't wait to see what David will do with country week. Should be very interesting.

starpatchsam 10:23:21 AM Mar 31 2008

Report This!

The judges were stupid not to pay attention that Ryan said Chris Cornell they shoudlnt blame David blame the dumbass judges that dont know who Cornell is

Fusionere3d 08:57:49 PM Mar 30 2008

Report This!

wow I am so Happy they found a new way to remake the old Gong show by Chuck Barris. Way to go Simon who is way over payed . But hey timing is everything in life

sfm2020 04:54:22 PM Mar 30 2008

Report This!

I had never even heard of Chris Cornell before last night and now becuase of David Cooks performance I have downloaded Cornells entire Soundtrack from I tunes... so AI and David Cook have done Cornell a lot of advertising.. I love his sound

MikeIsWite69 02:38:56 PM Mar 30 2008

Report This!

David Cook is going to be the Chris Daughtry of this season, he will come in 4th.

metalliholic85 01:37:47 PM Mar 30 2008

Report This!

I think it is great David Cook performed Christ Cornell's version of Billie Jean. It only reinforces what a great version it is and further promotes Chris's work. I love CC version!

1 - 10 of 719

719 comments